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The Enrique Camarena CaseThe Enrique Camarena Case
The AbductionThe Abduction
February 7, 1985, U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency Special Agent Enrique (Kiki) Camarena was abducted near the U.S. Consulate in Guadalajara, Mexico.
Capt. Alfredo Zavala, a DEA source, was abducted a short time later near the Guadalajara Airport.
A Little HistoryA Little HistoryCamarena was born in Mexico.His family moved to Southern
California when he was nine years old.
Joined the Marines.After the Marines, he became a
fireman, then a policeman, and then joined the DEA.
A Little More HistoryA Little More History
Camarena was the father of three boys.
He planned to retire three weeks after the date he was abducted.
He was going to meet his wife, Mika for lunch when he was abducted.
And A Little More HistoryAnd A Little More History
Camarena was an undercover agent who had been monitoring a multi-billion dollar syndicate which he suspected extended to the highest reaches of the Mexican army, police, and government.
In November 1984, the Mexican authorities and the DEA raided an enormous marijuana plantation called “The Buffalo”.
The Mexican Federal Judicial The Mexican Federal Judicial Police ResponsePolice Response
Slow!
Primer Comandante Pavon-Reyes was put in charge of the MFJP investigation.
Rafael Caro-Quintero and Ernesto Fonseca were quickly developed as suspects.
Caro-Quintero was encountered at the Guadalajara Airport, but was allowed to board a private jet and leave.
The InvestigationThe Investigation
February 1985, several Mexican residences and ranches were searched to no avail.
The U.S. Government started to apply tremendous pressure.
Mexican drug traffickers and certain MFJP officers fabricated a plan.
The PlanThe Plan The MFJP were to receive a letter indicating that
SA Camarena and Captain Zavala were being held at the Bravo drug gang’s ranch in La Angostura, Michoacan (~ 60 miles from Guadalajara).
The MFJP would raid the ranch finding the bodies of the two missing men.
The MFJP would report to the DEA that the case was closed.
What Really Happened!What Really Happened!
During early March, MFJP officers raided the Bravo ranch before DEA agents arrived.
A shootout occurred killing all of the Bravo gang and one MFJP officer.
The bodies were found by the side of the road in plastic bags. Not buried as planned.
The Investigation ContinuesThe Investigation Continues
March 7, 1985 – The FBI sent a forensic team to Guadalajara.
They were allowed to examine the bodies.Cadaver 1 was identified by fingerprints as
Camarena.Cadaver 2 was later identified by dental
records.
The Investigation ContinuesThe Investigation Continues
Requests to process the clothing, cordage, and burial sheet were denied.
They were allowed to cut small, “known” samples of each and take hair samples.
Soil samples were removed from the bodies and their clothing.
Camarena’s Cause of DeathCamarena’s Cause of Death
Death caused by blunt-force injuries.He had a hole in his skull caused by a rod-
like instrument.
The Road SideThe Road Side The next day, both FBI and DEA personal
proceeded to the Bravo ranch to the site where the bodies were found.
No grave site was found.
The soil on the bodies was different in color from the soil where the bodies had been deposited. Samples were taken for comparison.
No significant body fluids at the site.
The Road SideThe Road Side
Conclusion – The bodies had been buried elsewhere, exhumed, and transported to this site.
A New InvestigationA New Investigation The MFJP officials were later confronted with this
evidence.
Several State Judicial Police officers were arrested and interrogated.
Primer Comandante Pavon-Reyes was fired.
Arrest warrants were issued for several international drug traffickers including Rafael Caro-Quintero and Ernesto Fonseca.
Late March 1985 – DEA agents located a black Mercury Gran Marquis which they believed was used in the kidnapping or transportation of Camarena.
Vehicle was traced to a Ford dealership owned by Rafael Caro-Quintero.
The car was processed for hair, fiber, blood, and fingerprint evidence.
881 Lope De Vega881 Lope De VegaApril 1985 – the MFJP informed the DEA
that they believed they had located the residence where Camarena and Zavala had been held.
The FBI dispatched a forensic team to Guadalajara; however they were not allowed to proceed to the residence until an MFJP forensic team had processed the residence and had removed all the obvious evidence.
881 Lope De Vega881 Lope De Vega
881 Lope De Vega881 Lope De Vega
A beige VW Atlantic was under a carport at the rear of the residence.
On the second day, a thorough grounds search was conducted.
They observed a folded blue license plate in a drain near the tennis courts.
They removed the iron drain grate, unfolded the license plate and photographed it.
La Primavera ParkLa Primavera ParkAn associate of Rafael Caro-Quintero was
arrested and interrogated by the MFJP.
He stated that the bodies of two Americans, Albert Radelat and John Walker, were buried on the South side of La Primavera Park.
Soil samples taken from this site 2 feet below the surface were very similar (grain for grain) to the soil found on Camarena and Zavala.
Rene VerdugoRene Verdugo
A drug trafficker and high ranking member of the Caro-Quintero gang was arrested January 1986 and taken to San Diego.
He was thought to be involved in the kidnapping of Camarena.
Sergio Espino-VerdinSergio Espino-Verdin
A former Federal Comendante.He was believed to be the primary
interrogator during Camarena’s ordeal at 881 Lope De Vega.
The Trial of Rene Verdugo The Trial of Rene Verdugo and and
Sergio Espino-VerdinSergio Espino-VerdinU.S. District Court in Los Angeles, CAStarted July 1988.Lasted 8 weeks.Both were found guilty of the murder,
interrogation, and abduction of Camarena.
22 Persons Charged, 22 Persons Charged, Many Convicted Many Convicted
Rafael Caro-Quintero
Drug Lord 92 years
Ernesto Fonseca Drug Lord Life Sentence
Felix Gallardo Drug Lord 40 years
Rubin Zuno Ex-President’s brother-in-law
Life Sentence
Dr. Alvarez -Machain
Caro-Quintero’s family doctor
Liberated due to lack of evidence
Red Ribbon WeekRed Ribbon Week
Americans celebrate Red Ribbon Week during the third week of October to honor Enrique Camarena’s efforts in the drug war and to encourage others to take a stand against drugs.
